Gay genes?

Question

I'm gay male and have recently found out that 5 other members of my familys surname are gay but in different families but all from the original birth line. Doesn't this indicate that the 5 gay members have had the gay gene past down through the same gene pool? Interesting also is that they come from strong Catholic faith, so social acceptance as gay would not have been a choice in their families.
Any one out there have knowledge of family members being gay in their gene pool?

Answer 1

I think genetics play a part, but I don’t think it’s just one “gay gene” that makes a person gay. Some gays have a part of the brain that’s different and some people say it’s to do with hormones in the pregnant mother.

I think if most of us done a family tree (even if you aren’t gay), you’d find at least one gay in your own family. Someone posted this link yesterday and I thought it was interesting
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn6519

Answer 2

Personally I only know of one family member who is not straight, she is bisexual. My parents moved shortly before I was born, and since I have had virtually no contact with cousins and rarely saw Aunts & Uncles there could easily be some GLBT family members that I am unaware of.

Scientific researchers who specialize in human sexuality have shown that homosexuality is linked to biology and genetics. A link to genetics does not mean that homosexuality is determined by a single gene, but may be a combination of different genetic factors.

An October 2004 scientific research publication stated that scientists at the University of Padua have found that women tend to have more children when they inherit the same genetic factors linked to homosexuality in men. This fertility boost more than compensates for the lack of offspring fathered by gay men, and keeps the “gay” genetic factors in circulation.

Another scientific study said that researchers have known for years that a man's likelihood of being gay rises with the number of older biological brothers, but the new study found that the so-called "fraternal birth order effect" persists even if gay men were raised away from their biological families. Anthony F. Bogaert, Ph.D., professor at Brock University, said "The research suggests that the development of sexual orientation is influenced before birth."

The older-brother effect was constant regardless of whether the men were raised with natural, adopted or stepbrothers. It also didn't matter if they weren't raised with their biological mothers. If gay younger brothers and older brothers don't have the same home environments, what do they have in common? "They shared the same uterus, the same womb, the same mother," Bogaert said.

Answer 3

As far as we know there is no "gay gene". The current theory is that homosexuality is caused by exposure to certain hormones as a foetus. The fact that 5 members of your family are gay is probably just chance, or it may be that females in your family have genes that cause them to produce excess amounts of hormones.
Do the gay members of your family have older brothers? It's been suggested that the more older brothers you have, the higher the chance you will be gay. I think it's something to do with the mother's body treating male DNA as a foreign agent and developing a resistance to it.

Answer 4

I think their is a great deal of truth about the Gay gene .
Also that women under stress eg War produce more gay children .
I also think there is something about Gay being the younger of brothers there is also a theory that women after producing sons the younger will be gay its natures way of subblimating agression Im sur e that as sosciology progresses they will find even more theories as well as psychology I love germaine Greer in the paper the other day saying Englishmen have sex woth women but only fall in love with men . But as the paper said today 51% of Engliswomen dont care if the way they dress is attractive to men , Its what I aways thought women dress in competition with other women for envy points Its a mother Daughter rivalry thing

Answer 5

It's something you're born with, you sexual orientation I mean. Though I've never heard of a "gay gene" you may have a point. And then again, it may be a coincidence, and you may not have a point. Wow, that was the exact opposite of help...

Answer 6

yes, Oprah had a show on a few weeks ago where a very religious family had like 8 children and 4 of the boys were gay here is the link to the story.

Answer 7

Yes. My Grandfather was gay, my ex wife turned gay when she was 30 after 10 years of marriage and two kids.

My kids aren't gay because there is no gay gene. There is no chance that they would as they were raised properly.

Being raised Catholic doesn't prevent people from making bad choices. It probably contributes to the ills of the world.

Answer 8

Homosexuality is not a learned behavior.

When you're developing in the womb, EVERY fetus starts out female, then hormones and the such are added. Homosexuals have more female hormones than male hormones. Some males can even breast feed due to this.

And there could be more female hormones than male hormones in your birth line.

Answer 9

that doesn't prove that genes make you gay it just proves that your family tolerates homosexuality.

Answer 10

hummm no... t